The Chinese side of the mighty Himalayas, especially in Yunnan province, is considered a global hot spot for the world’s flora. Yunnan comprises 152,124 square miles compared to Colorado’s 104,185 square miles. The flora of Yunnan is reputed to have more than 18,000 species of plants, while...Learn more
After a rain, it’s not uncommon for me to see small white-capped mushrooms popping up in the turf. Many people start worrying – does it mean the grass is unhealthy? Does it mean they’re doing something wrong? Well, in reality, they’re not really bad or good. Mushrooms feed on decaying plant matter...Learn more
Many medicinal plants are easy to grow in Colorado and have incredible healing properties. Horticulturist Blake Burger and horticulture intern Kenna Castleberry pick their top 10 to grow at home.Learn more
In 1999 I attended an international horticultural expo in Kunming, China—Denver’s Sister City. The contrast between the China I found then and the country I visited last month could not be more striking. During my recent trip I passed through four Chinese airports—all of which appeared to be brand...Learn more
Supported by the next generation of scientists! The Research & Conservation Department is hopping this summer with one of their most intense field seasons ever. Researchers are documenting plant and fungal diversity across the state, collecting and contributing to the global genome biodiversity...Learn more
Authored by 11 staff experts, Denver Botanic Gardens’ new publication – “Wildflowers of the Rocky Mountain Region” – is now available! This Timber Press field guide is designed to be an easy-to-use portable photographic reference in the field. It also includes range maps for each individual plant...Learn more
Annual Flowers Curiosities of the Gardens August, during the "dog days" of summer, is the perfect time to view all the fantastic annuals at Denver Botanic Gardens. During this time, annual flowers are at their peak, revealing their mature height and showy blossoms. This walking tour highlights some...Learn more
One of the most frequent questions I get around this time of year is “what is growing on my leaves?” while being handed a hackberry leaf with knobs on the back. These knobs are galls – abnormal growths on leaves and stems with a number of different causes, mainly insects and diseases. In the case...Learn more
Kenna here, the medicinal plant intern at Denver Botanic Gardens. I’m excited to announce the newly publicized medicinal plants virtual tour on the Gardens Navigator website! In creating this virtual tour, I hope to bring more awareness to medicinal plants and help dispel the reputation of "pseudo-...Learn more
Plastic straws are OUT! As an article in the Denver Post recently illustrated, Colorado restaurants are joining a national and even international trend to replace single-use plastic straws with either compostable and/or paper straws. The Gardens’ Offshoots Café and Hive Bistro at the York Street...Learn more
It’s the peak of summer here at our York Street location, and we are heading into the busiest weeks of the annual Summer Concert Series. Even for seasoned Denver concert-goers, there’s no venue in town quite like the Gardens. With somewhat unique restrictions on what you can bring, what you can’t...Learn more
This summer, Denver Botanic Gardens, with funding from the High Line Canal Conservancy, is conducting a survey of the plants growing along the High Line Canal. Drawing water from the South Platte River, the Canal winds 71 miles from Waterton Canyon in Littleton to the eastern edge of Green Valley...Learn more
